Friction-gear for railway draft-riggings.



s. F. @www FHIGTION GEAR FOR RAILWAY DRAFT RIGGINGS.

AFPLICATAION FIL ED FEB. 26| 19H..y

`w Patented Dee. 24, 1918.4

3 SHEETS-SHEET' 1.

F. OCONNOR.- Y FRICTiN GEAR FOR RAILWAY DRAFT RIQGINGS. APPLIQATIQNFILED FEB. 26. 191,1.

i'm 1 Patented Da/24,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A ORNEY.

J. F. DICONNOR,

FBICTION GEAR FOR RAILWAY DRAFT RIGGINGS.r

APPLICATION FILED FEB.. 2 6. 191,1.

l ,28831970 IzIIened BenQ-, ISIS.

3 sHEEs-SHEET II `I sarai/rae.

JOHN IF. OCONNR, OF CHCG, IILTINOS, ASSIGMQR T() 'WELLAM H. KEINER. iSHAW?, NEW YEK.

,FRICTION-GEAR FOR RAILWAY DRAETUFGGING. l

mesmo.

peeica'tion of Letters Eatent.

Fatented Bec. 2e, teilt-ti.

To aU whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCosxoa, a citizenof the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inFriction-Gears for Railway Draft-Riggings, of which the following is afull, clear, concise, and exact description. reference being had to theaecompanying drawings, forming a part ot this specification. A

This invention relates to improvements in friction gears for railwaydraft riggings.

One object of the invention is to provide a friction gear for railwaydrat't rig-gings having high capacity and certain' release and wherein aconstant angle wedge is employed.

Another and more specic object of the in venton is to provide a frictiongear of the type above indicated wherein is employed a self-containedexpanding wedge.

In the drawing forming a. part of this specification, Figure 1 is alongitudinal veri tical section of a draft rigging, showing myimprovements in connection therewith. Fig.

2 is a front end elevation of the friction gear proper, on an enlargedscale. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the friction geurillustrated in Fig. '1 and taken on the line 3-3 thereof. Figs. 4, 5 and6 are views corresponding respectively to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, butillustrating different embodiments of the invention; Fig. 6 being'takenon the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are enlarged detail sectional views illustrating threeother embodiments of my invention.

Referring first to the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, l0denotes a'draw bar to which issecured a yoke 1l, the friction gearproper being confined Within the yoke and between front and rearfollowers 12 and 13, said followers cooperating With stops on the draftsills in the usual manner.

My improved friction gear, as shown., comprises, a combined frictionshell and. spring casing A within which is confined the main spring 14,consisting oi an outer heavy coil and an inner lighter coil. Coperablewith the friction shell proper of the casing A, is a .eircularlyarranged series of friction shoes 15, each of the latter having aninterior Wedge face 16 at itstorward end and an inwardly extendingshoulder 17, against which bears a small spring follower 180, at thefront end of the inner coil ot spring. Coperahle with the friction shoesfor -iorcing the latter radially against the friction shell, is animproved self-contained expanding wedge. rEhe latter consists ot' aseries of outer wedge elements 18, one for each shoe, a central pressuretransmitting lug 19 ot wedge shape, and a heavy eapanc ing spring 20confined within and carried by the wedge ccssed to accommodate 4thereleasing spring 20, as clearly shown in l. order to obtain a balancedSpreading pressure on the wedge elements i8, the latter are providednear their inner ends with additional wedge faces 24 with whichcooperates conical plug 25 at the inner end of a stud 26 which passesthrough the spring 20 and is secured to and moves in unison with thepressure plug 19. As au additional means for releasing the wedge, aplurality or" disk springs 2'! are interposed between the inner end otthe. Wedge proper and the spring follower Upon buing movement, 'it isappareir that pressure will he transmitted trom the front follower l2 tothe plug 19 and the latter in turn will act directly against the outerends of the expansible wedge elements i8 and through the plug 25 againstthe inner ends of the Wedge elements 18. 'tiro-in the Wedge elements l,the pressure is transmit ted to theshoes through the wedge it? and 21,thus maintaining a constant wedge angle between the Wedge proper andyfriction shoes. Upon release or removal oi the pressure against theparte, it is apparent that the spring 20 will exert outward pressure onthe plug 19* with respect to the Wedge elements 18, thus permitting thelatter to collapse sufficiently to he disengaged from the friction shoesand fully release the gear. During rthis, release movement, it is alsoapparent that the spring disks .0,7 will assist the spring 29 incollapsing the wedge.

ln 'the construction illustrated in Figs. It, 5 and 6, the arrangementot draw har. tollowers, yoke, friction shell and spring is itl@ los

similar to` that .of the structure illustrated l in Eigs. l., 2 and 3,and need 'not `here he detailed. Coperahle with the friction shell is'acircularly arranged series of friction --shoes 115; preferably four'innumber, each of which is provided on its inner face with a wedgesurface' ll. .'Coperablewith the friction shoes is a selfecontainedexpanding wedge which, in this instance, comprises four outer wedge-elements V118-118 each having an outer wedge face 121 coperablcinwardly, the dished spring disks 120 tendjjh to flatten out with theresult that the pei' with the corresponding wedge face of a` frid tionshoe, a pressure transmitting plug 1-19 fit-ting within the elements118' andslidable with respect thereto, and an exp'ansible spring wedgeconsisting of two oppositely dislrs 120 are provided around theirperipheries with Haired anges 120u which en gage corresponding interiorsurfaces on the wedge elements 11.8. y rlhe operation of theconstruction illustrated in Figs. a, 5 and 6 is as follows: Upon inwardmovement of the ldraw bar, pressure is transmitted from the frontvfol-vlower to the plug 119. As the latter moves ripheries or flanges 120thereof are expanded radially, thus forcing the wedge elements 11.18outwardly against the shoes 115. In this construction it will beapparent that a constant angle is also maintained betweenA the wedgeproper and the friction shoes' while at the same time the wedge iseirpan.-` I sible and collapsible and contains the spring'.

is provided with an inner wedge face 216 with which coperates theself-contained expansihle wedge. The latter, as shown, comprises aplurality of outer wedge elements 218, one for each shoe, each of saidelements being provided on its inner face with rthree wedgesurfaces222e,A 222", and,

222. Coperahle with the last. named wedge surfaces are .correspondingwedge surfaces 22thj 223D, and 223'formed on the outer surface ofacentral wedge plug 219. The plug 219 is centrally recessed as indicatedat 50, to accommodate a plurality of disk springs 220, the latterhearing at. their outer ends against the plug 219 and at their innerends against a button 225 that has an extension 226 passing between theinner ends of the wedge elements 218. To prevent accidental separationof the wedge block 219 and the `wedge elements '218, said parts areprovided With inter-locking shoulders 51 and 52. The operation of thisgear will be understood from the preceding description of theconstruction illustrated in Fig. 1.

In the arrangement shown in. 8, the friction shell, main spring and Vton shoes a are th'e sameA as `the correspili.' 'lng parts shownin Flg.7. In this construction, how ever, the expansible wedge employs a/ coilspring 320jyhi'ch is seated at one end against the' inner wedge plug 319and at its other end against inwardly extending flanges 53 on theinnemends' of the wedgeelements 318. Coperating shoulders 351 and'352are provided on theAwedge elements and central plug to preventseparation of the parts, similar to the interflocking shoulders providedin the construction 'shown in Fig.

ln the arrangement shown in Fig. 9, .the friction shell, friction shoes,and main spring are similar to the corresponding parts'in the otherviews. In this arrangement, the wedge proper consists of a series ofouterwedge elements 418, one'for each .friction shoe and coperabletherewith, a central wedge plug 419coperable with all the ele-- ments4:18,1 andl a releasing spring in the form of yakpluralit'y of dishedplates 420,

the latter `rr-:acting at their outer end against the plug 419 and attheir inner end against -100' inwardly extended flanges L153-formed onthe v friction, shoes.

I claim: 4"

-1. In a friction gear,v the combination with -a friction shell, mainspring, friction shoes copeable with the friction shell and having innerwedge faces, of an expanding wedge coperable with said shoes, said wedgehaving self-releasing lmeans contained therewithin reacting againstportions of said wedge only. f

-2. In a friction gear, the combination with a friction shell, mainspring, friction shoes coperable with the friction shell and havinginner wedge faces, of a wedge-coperable with said shoes, said wedgecomprising 'a plurality of independent outer wedge elements, an interiorpressure block, and sprin means for forcin the block outwardly witrespect to the we ge elements during release and reacting against saidblock and outerv wedge elements.

' 3. In a friction gear, the combination with a friction shell, mainspring friction shoes coperable with the friction shell and having innerwedge faces, of a wedge coperable with said shoes, the wedge comprisinga plurality of independent, outer wedge ele- `ments each having an outerwedge face cooperable withy the wedge face ofv a friction shoe and aninner wedge face, and a wedge shaped pressure block Within said elementscoperable with said inner Wedge faces thereof.

4. ln a friction gear, the combination with a friction shell, inainspring, friction shoes coperable with the friction shell and havinginner Wedge faces, of a Wedge coperable with said shoes, the Wedgecomprising a plurality of independent, outer Wedge elements each havingan outer Wedge face coperable with the wedge face of a friction shoe andan inner Wedge face, a wedge shaped pressure block within said elementscoperable with 'said inner Wedge faces thereof, and

, spring means contained Within the Wedge for e'ecting its release.

5. ln a friction gear, the combination with a friction shell, mainspring, friction shoes inoperable with the friction shell and lia-vinginner wedge faces, of a Wedge coperable with said shoes, said Wedgecomprising a pluralityv of independent outer Wedge elements, an interiorpressure block, and spring means confined within the Wedge against whichsaid pressure block acts directly during actuation of the gear.

6. ln a friction gear, the combination with a friction shell,main'spring, friction shoes coperable with the friction shell and havinginner wedge faces, of a Wedge coperable With said shoes, said Wedgecomprising a i spring means being contained within the g Wedg 7. In afriction gear, the combination with a friction shell, friction shoeshaving wedge faces coperable with said shell, and a spring for resistingmovement of the shoes, of a self-contained releasing Wedge coperablewith said shoes, said wedge comprising a plurality of outer wedgeelements acting directly against the friction shoes, an inner wedge plugfor expanding the Wedge elements, and a spring reacting against saidplug at one end and against the wedge elements at the other end.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 15th day of Feb. 1917.

' JOHN F. OCONNOR.

